http://blogs.yufe.ca/jdiakiw Reflections, Visions, Light, Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:14:47 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en In 1984, with a group of UNICEF workers I was travelling with in the Amazon at a remote village, but not far from Manaus, suddenly a tribal elder stepped out from the tribe, walked up to me and put a bean necklace over my head and muttered some words, which ... http://blogs.yufe.ca/jdiakiw/2010/05/30/how-simple-bits-of-jewelry-become-religious-icons-and-proof-of-satori/ A Vietnam Tragedy and . . . .  Satori Preamble I  went to Vietnam recently.  Not my normal type  of destination.  I  still prefer to  head off on one of my solo trips to some out of the way desert, many deserts now,-- the Kalahari, the Sahara, the Gobi, Atacama, in Chile, ... http://blogs.yufe.ca/jdiakiw/2010/05/30/my-vietnam-wake-and-national-lament/ Thoughts on gender identity and creativity I was listening to CBC radio in the car last year while two celebrity men my age were talking like giddy little schoolboys about their hockey and baseball sports card collection. I envied their enthusiasm and pride in their collections and wondered why I ... http://blogs.yufe.ca/jdiakiw/2009/10/21/the-search-for-my-sexual-identity/ Of the 12,000 teacher graduates in Ontario in 2009,  less than a third have been hired An American friend was proudly bragging to me about the outstanding, “Teach for America” program that recruits top graduates from Harvard and Yale and all the great universities in the USA, in order ... http://blogs.yufe.ca/jdiakiw/2009/10/03/teach-for-ontario/ “Keeping the Conversation Going” We currently have unacceptably high levels of youth unemployment, disturbing levels of violence, soaring drop out rates among Black students. Black-focused schools have been offered as one solution to this problem. It is not my intention here to argue for, or against Black-focused schools. ... http://blogs.yufe.ca/jdiakiw/2009/05/21/aternatives-to-black-focussed-schools/ March Children's Literature and Canadian National Identity: A Revisionist Perspective The Search for my Gender Identity Our Culture’s Native Roots: The Native Contribution to Canadian Culture and Identity Growing Up Ukrainian in Toronto Alternatives to Black-focused Schools January Canadian Culture and Identity December Golfers I have known . . .. November Early Memories of my Emerging Literacy The Post ... http://blogs.yufe.ca/jdiakiw/2009/02/08/table-of-contents-3/ “This is not going to work, Joel,” I said. I was teaching my grade 11 geography class and Joel was just not cutting it. He just could not function in a normal class. He came ill-prepared and never did his assigned work. He either stared out the window or read ... http://blogs.yufe.ca/jdiakiw/2009/02/08/remembering-joel/ After almost 3 weeks in Ethiopia in April, I have formed some strong impressions of this country.  It is in many ways a truly remarkable  place. What is important about Ethiopia, is that there is a strong sense  that this is the home of man (sic woman).  Visiting Lucy where she  ... http://blogs.yufe.ca/jdiakiw/2008/05/04/journey-to-ethiopia/ March Children's Literature and Canadian National Identity: A Revisionist Perspective The Search for my Gender Identity Our Culture’s Native Roots: The Native Contribution to Canadian Culture and Identity Growing Up Ukrainian in Toronto Alternatives to Black-focused Schools January Canadian Culture and Identity December Golfers I have known . . .. November Early Memories of my Emerging Literacy The Post ... http://blogs.yufe.ca/jdiakiw/2008/03/24/table-of-contents-2/ Children's Literature and Canadian National Identity: A Revisionist Perspective Note: This article was originally published in the fall issue of the quarterly journal Canadian Children's Literature Summary: Canadian children's literature can play an important role in affirming a Canadian culture and identity. The school has always played and, whether we like ... http://blogs.yufe.ca/jdiakiw/2008/03/24/childrens-literature-and-canadian-identity-a-revisionist-perspective/